Kawaii- “loveable", "cute", or "adorable") The culture of cuteness in Japan. It can refer to items, humans and nonhumans that are charming, vulnerable, shy and childlike (E. g cute handwriting, manga and Hello Kitty)- wikipedia
I LOVE kawaii food/drinks, stationary, clothing (tshirts) and plush toys.. i really like those sort of things *^_^* Anything other then that? Nah
I get that I'm a different generation, but try as I might I can't help but think it's kind of childish.
I'm happy my wife missed the kawaii generation. She's ethnically Korean (it's strong in Korea, too). Well, I should say for the most part she missed it. She was a fan of k-pop, which was the source of endless bewilderment for me.
Some of the mothers of kids I tutor are from the generation when kawaii started to be hip. Some have embraced it. Others haven't. One of my tutoring student's mother is Japanese (her father was one of Akihito's tutors, btw). She is a former model, but she also worked as a receptionist. We got to talking about kawaii culture. She then demonstrated her receptionist voice. It was as though she transformed into a ten year old girl. But it's what was *expected* of her as a receptionist. Understand that her ordinary voice is that of a middle aged woman (she's a few years younger than I... and I was about 40 at the time). It was hilarious, and shocking, to hear her go from a middle aged voice to a little school girl voice. She honestly sounded like her daughter. I couldn't wrap my brain around the idea that her company not only expected her to sound like that, but *wanted* her to sound like that.
And listen to j-pop and k-pop girl groups. Many of them sound like little girls... we're talking five year olds... and they're in their twenties.
by the way, I know that women can be perfectly mature, have their shit together, and all that and be into kawaii culture. Still, I just can't get past that it all seems so childish to me. (It's not you, it's me... I know)
When I lived in Japan it was one of the big things I had to wrap my head around when talking with or dating the women there. They were all into this cutesy stuff and I joked with my friends that they are mentally 10 years younger than an American of the same age.
But that's Japan and in the west at least the USA this isn't really normal. I get it with the texting or a few plush toys or something but I think it can be taken too far to the point of being creepy. I would say as with many things enjoy it but don't overdo it
I kind like it, I do think it's cute. I just don't like it in anime cause they make the girls so overly sweet with the high pitched voice. They also make them look like they're twelve with with double d sized milk duds. It gets ridiculous sometimes.. I hate harem and ecchi. Sorry just had to through that out there lol
I LOVE the Kawaii merchandise , but not much the singing girls, kinda makes me cringe how forced the cute is. (Probably cause I'm used to westernized culture where women are sexualized rather than cute) but other than that I'll buy almost anything kawaii.
I'm 25 and love Kawaii stuff. My room is literally pink with loads of pusheen and cute stuff around it! I enjoy anime and manga and a lot of Japanese fashion~ I don't wear lolita though.
I'm strange though as I love gothic stuff just as much!
Some I like some I don't... but grown people who live their lives with their whole houses like this or their whole physical being looking like kawaii threw up on them - I can't understand that...
I'm all about that kawaii culture life. It's my aesthetic unlike what's here in the west which is bland, basic, and boring. This is why many of my clothes are from over sea's.
It is. I'm also into different alternative Japanese street fashion like Lolita and Fairy kei. The only time anything kawaii is cringey is when people start weebing it out, or sexualizing a style that was never meant to be sexy. A lot of alternative kawaii fashions over there were meant to be for self expression and going against the norm that is Japans rather traditional and strict culture.
I try not to let it spoil things for me, but sometimes you just run across too many people ignorant to styles that they don't view as normal who have the nerve to lecture you about a type of style/fashion that you've been into for years that they know nothing about except from some misinformation on the internet they bumped into.
It happens a lot with Lolita fashion which is why I've made myTakes about what it really was. I was going to do a series about it, but depression ad laziness hit so it has been since forever since I've worked on another one.
You want my honest opinion? Japanese have the most advanced technology on the planet, yet their behavior is extremely childish. So to answer your question, I find it extremely odd.
I used to love anime and all things Japan, but of course humans have to ruin it and make even the innocent characters all sexualized and stuff. So I stay away from that stuff. I'm too traumatized.
I think it's adored by those who are emotionally immature and are used as a coping mechanism to escape realities and responsibilities of the unfortunately difficult and often complicated world we live in. So in that regard I find them to be a symptom of the emotionally weak.
The west has nothing to match the kawaii culture of Japan. Its interesting because it reinforces cuteness for girl and women. Western women are cold and aggressive, and much in need for kawaii culture.
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Anonymous
(25-29)
+1 y
It's ok, though I'm sure I'd love it if I were a girl and not a boy.
I’m not a kawaii fanatic lol I love there stationary/decor part of it mostly. Clothing wise (because it is a sense of clothing style) i’m cool to rock out that blue tshirt and similar items as such (in the question).
@swettannie Its not really big in my country. Though there is a festival not far from where i live that i go to sometimes and it is literally everything kawaii.
otaku in japan isn't valued. it means a no-lifer anime manga addict, who tries to adapt an imaginary world into the real. don't mix the kawaii with it. especially that kawaii style many times is just a show
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